S-chrotums

This is what Earache's putting out now?  Things have certainly gone downhill since the days of Iron Monkey and Napalm Death

False.

I read a pirated e-book of Ender's Game, which I enjoyed.  I therefore intend to watch a pirated copy of the movie.  Normally when I consume a pirated work, I feel kind of guilty.  Not this time

I think Best Served Cold was my least favourite of his books.  (Don't get me wrong, I still liked it).  The trilogy is great, The Heroes and Red Country are even better.  I'd say just start at the beginning.  Many of the characters you meet in the First Law trilogy crop up again in the standalone novels

I guess post-hardcore would a better description of Hoover (although honestly all these post-x and y-core sub-genres overlap so much they're more or less meaningless).  Your use of the term 'proto-emo' just made me go and dig out my Moss Icon anthology…

Disappointed not to see Drive Like Jehu or Hoover mentioned here